Crank case heater



April 23, 1935'. y f D. H. BUSHNELL 1,999,003

'cRN'x cAsE HEATER Filed May s, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 23, 1935. D. H. BUsHNELL CRANK CASE HEATER Filed May 5,` 1954 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2 Patented Apr, 23, 1935 A1,999,003 i y PATENT l*OFFICE- CASE HEATER non H. usimen, washingtkn, D. o.

' Application` May 3,1934, Serial No..723,783

" flo'oiaims. y(ci. 21o-3s) This invention relates to a sludge remover and more particularly to a method and means for removing sludgefrom 'thek crank-case ot anvauto` y mobile or the like. f kAn object of the invention is to provide anew method for quickly and effectively removing the lsludge that accumulatesin the crank-case. A further object is to apply a. relatively` high heat yto specific points of a crank-caseta produce an effect upon the oilwhereby the removal of sludge therein and in the case is effected. Other specic n objects and advantages will' appear as the speclcationproceeds.

bodiment,` by

whichi n n Figure i is a 'perspective view of apparatus embodying my'invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged broken sectional view, the section being takenV as indi# cated at.` line 2l of Fig. 1;'Fig. 3, a transverse sec.- tional view, the section being taken'as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2 j Fig/i, a broken view inelevap tion showing the' heating mechanism. vapplied to the crank-case of an automobile; Fig. 5, a broken bottom ,plan View ofa portion of the supporting frame; Fig. 6, a sectional view ofthefspringarm, the section being taken as'indicated rat line 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7, a longitudinal sectional viewof the heating element, the section being'ftaken as indicated at line 1 of Fig. l; and Fig. 8, a. broken sectional' view, the section' being taken as indicated atlineiiof Figli.V l f f Variousdevices-have been developed for heaty ing the crankecase of an automobile so asv to :is warm the lubricating oil therein. Such Awarming of the lubricantrelsults in making it easier for the motor to startand ensures better circulation of the lubricantY during the Warming up of the motor. lis for the purpose of supplying intense heatv at [specific points of the crank-case soas to produce a motion in the oil approaching turbulence-which stirs up, dissolves and sets in motionthe thick accumulation of sludge composed of foreign parr 5 ticles and solidified oil components that adhere tothe botto .i and lcwerside walls of the kcrankcase. The drain plug of thefcrank-case is usually or near the vcenter of the crank-case bottom and in order to effectively remove the sludge, I 5o have provided means foi.` supporting heating elements at opposite ends of the crank-case so thaty the heated oil from the ends of the case hows down to .the outlet, asy therank-case is drained, thus completely cleansing the lowest 55 Aportion of `the crank-case, which is the. point the accompanying drawings, `in

The invention is illustrated, 'in a preferred kem- The apparatus. which I have designed Where most sludge collects. At the same time, the crank-case is notunduly heated because of the layerkof sludge insulation which is thickest near` the center of the case. In order to support the heating elements at the desired points, it is '5 necessary that the supporting apparatus be adjustable and extensible so as to adapt it for crank-cases of `diiierent sizes and shapes.

In the illustration given, YI provide tubular end pieces I0 at the four corners of the rectangular 10 framefandconnect 'the membersv IB by the reduced cylindrical members II which are received within sleeves or tubes I0. The sleeves I0 may be of any suitable construction. In the illustration given, each comprises a sleeve member 15 I2 which is connected to a tubular elbow I3. The

yelbow is provided with an enlarged ring end I4 pins I'I. A T-shaped tubular member I8 receives the-'xed pin I'I so-as to rotate freely'thereon. The member I5 is provided with ya tube I9 extending at right angles to the main body of thel 25 member I8 and' receiving the heating element support 20. Asy shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, tube I9 isprovided with a set screw 2| which engages a groove 22in the support 20. The extent of rotation of the part is thus limited.

` Each of the supports 20 carries a heating elementk 23 which may be of any suitable construction'suicient to supply a relatively high heat to a specific point ofthe crank-case. As rshown more clearly in Fig. 7,' the heating element 23 35 comprises a metal casing 24`aifording top and sidewalls and a bottom wall 25 closing thecasing 124. The electric resistance heating element 25 is supported in the upper portion of theV casinglbetween mica layers 21, the element being lacedthrough the lower layer. Below the ele- K ment 26' isa block of" asbestos 28 and'below` the block r28 is sheet asbestos 29. The lower wall 25 kand the asbestoslayers r28 and 29 are apertured l n to receive terminals 30 vand 3l which are con-1 45 nected by straps 32 and `33 with the heating element 26. Depending from terminals 30 and 3l are 'socket Shanks 34 and 35 which are adapted to enter the socket of theconnecting plug. The heating element` itself, in operation, preferably reaches afternperature of about 600 F.

Any suitable means may be provided for supporting the frame and the heating element against the crank-case. The means may consist rof liftingmechanism resting on the oor of the garage and which may be actuated to raise the ira-me to the bottom of the crank-case. If desired, means may be employed for suspending the frame from projections or anges present on the crank-case. In the illustration given, spring arms are employed which, in turn, are equipped with hooks adapted to engage the iianges 35 of the case. Mounted on each of the cylindrical members l l is a sleeve 'l which is freely rotatable thereon. Secured to the sleeve is a connecting shank 3S imbedded in a union 39. The union 3S is drilled to receive a tube having a closed upper end di. The closure fil is perforated to receive a hooi; arm 4E. The arm 42 or shank within the tube i9 is encircled by a spring 43 and the lower end of shank i2 is equipped with a head fili adapted to engage the bottom of the spring and to compress it as the shank is drawn upwardly. The upper end of the shank l2 is bent to provide a hook To limit the extension of the slidable sleeves l2, I provide the sleeves on their bottom sides, as shown in Fig. 5, with slots 45 which are engaged by screws il secured to the cylindrical members il.

In the operation of the apparatus illustrated, the sleeves f2 are adjusted on the cylindrical frame members i i so as to bring the heating elements 23 directly below the end portions of the crank-case. The elements 23 are swung into a position whereby they iit the contour of the crank-case bottom. If 'there are projections or irregularities in the bottom wall of the crankcase, the elements can be swung into such a position as to iit between projections and rest against the bottom wall of the case. The hooks 45 are then drawn upwardly to engage the anges 3B. The rotatable sleeve Si' and the construction of the spring arm permits the hooks to be adjusted to engage various types of iianges or projections on the crank-case. The plugs are then connected to the elements 34 and 35 so that a current flows through the heating elements 25. A quick intense heat is developed which raises the temperature or the oil in the crank-case above the heating elements to such a degree that turbulence sets in. The motion of the oil and its ten perature which is preferably kept below 396 loosens and dissolves the sludge bodies and reduces them to a liquid condition. After a short while, the drain plug is removed and the heated oil ows to the lower central portion of the craniccase tending to dislodge and remove also the sludge that lies there. The tubular frame permits the oil to drain freely from the drain and between the elements of the frame. After the sludge has been removed from the crank-case, the apparatus may be readily removed by withdrawing the hooks 45 from engagement with anges 35. If desired, a iiushing oil may then be introduced and circulated through the lubricant conduits and then allowed to drain off. Fresh lubricant is supplied to the crank-case after the removal of the sludge.

While I have described specific mechanism which is adapted to eiiect the purpose above described, it will be obvious that many changes may be made in the method of supporting the frame and in the specific construction of the frame and heating elements themselves, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness oi understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom. but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character set forth adapted for use with the cranlncase of an internal combustion motor, a frame, spaced electric resistance elements adjustably supported the frame and movable toward and away from each other, means for supporting said frame adjacent the bottom of the crank-case, said trame being provided with means for adjustably supporting the heating elements to iit the contour of the cranlecase ends, and means for supplying an electric current to said heating elements.

2. In a device of the character set forth adapted for use with the crank-case of an internal combustion motor, a tubular extensible frame, spaced electric resistance heating elements adjustably supported by the ends of said frame, means for supporting said frame adjacent the bottom of the crank-case, and means for supplying an electric current to said heating elements.

3. In a device of the character set forth, a rectangular tubular frame, sleeves mounted on the ends of said frame and rotatable thereon, a support carried by each of said sleeves, an electric resistance heating element carried by each of said supports and rotatable thereon, and means for supplying electric current to said heating elements.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, an extensible tubular frame, means limiting the extension of said frame, electric resistance heating elements supported at the ends of said frame, and means for supplying an electric currentto said heating elements.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, a frame, heating elements adjustably supported at the ends of the frame, and spring arms rotatably mounted on said frame near its center and equipped with means for engaging projections on a crank-case to support said heating elements near the opposite ends of the crank-case.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth adapted for use with the crank-case of an internal combustion motor, a rectangular extensible frame, electric resistance heating elements carried by the ends of the frame, electric terminals on each of said heating elements, means yfor supplying current directly to each of said terminals,

and spring supporting arms rotatably mounted on a central portion of the frame and having ends adapted to engage projections on said crankcase.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, spaced electric resistance heating elements, telescoping frame elements supporting said heating elements and extensible to support said elements adjacent the end portions of a crank-case, spring hook members engaging the central portion of said frame and adapted to engage projections on said crank-case to support said heating elements thereagainst, and means for supplying electric current to said resistance elements.

8. Sludge-removing apparatus comprising: a tubular frame, rotatable sleeve members carried by the ends of said frame, support posts carried by said sleeves, heating elements substantially the width oi the frame and carried by said posts, sleeves carried by said frame adjacent its central longitudinal sides, and extensible spring hooks carried by said sleeves and adapted to er1- gage projections on a crank-case.

9. Sludge-dissolving apparatus adapted for use with the crank-case of an internal combustion motorl comprising: a substantially rectangular tubular frame, heatingL elementssupported by the yends of the frame and adapted to supply heat suflicient to raise the vtemperature of the oil within the crank-case to substantially 300- KF., rotatable sleeves engaging the central portions of the longitudinal sides of the frame, and extensible spring hooks carried by said sleeves and adapted to engage projections on said crank-case.

10. In apparatus of the character set forth yadaptedvi'or use with the crank-case of an lnternalcombustion motor, a frame, spaced electric resistance elements, supports for said electric resistance elements adjustably carried by the frame for movement toward and away from each other, means for supporting said frame adjacent vthe bottom of the crank-case, and means for supplying an electric current to said heating elements. k

' DON H. BUSHINELL. 

